Late 1700s-Early 1800s

Lieutenant Philip Ostrander Sword

Lieutenant Philip Ostrander took control of the American Fort during the War of 1812 when the commander at the time, Captain James Rhea, lost control of the garrison due to his constant drunkenness. During the September 1812 Siege of Fort Wayne, Rhea was prepared to surrender the fort to attacking tribes in exchange for his safety.

Lieutenant Philip Ostrander died at the Fort in July 1813. The sword was excavated at or near the site of the 1812 era fort and it was surmised in later years that traces of gilding on the blade indicates it was an officer's sword that may have belonged to Lieutenant Ostrander.